Chapter10 华生医生的日记摘抄-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《福尔摩斯探案经典之巴斯克维尔的猎犬The Hound of the Baskervilles》

Chapter 10 Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson So far I have been able to quote from the reports which I have forwarded{ during these early days to Sherlock Holmes. Now, however, I have arrived at a point in my narrative where I am compelled to abandon this method and to trust once more to my recollections, aided by the diary which I kept at the time. A few extracts from the latter will carry me on to those scenes which are indelibly{②} fixed in every detail upon my memory. I proceed, then, from the morning which followed our abortive{}chase of the convict and our other strange experiences upon the moor October 16th. A dull and foggy day with a drizzle of rain. The house is banked④} in with rolling clouds, which rise now and then to show the dreary curves of the moor, with thin. silver veins{}upon the sides of the hills, and the distant boulders gleaming where the light strikes upon their wet faces. It is melancholy outside and in. The baronet is in a black reaction after the excitements of the night I am conscious myself of a weight at my heart and a feeling of impending danger- ever present danger, which is the more terrible because I am unable to define it. And have I not cause for such a feeling? Consider the long sequence of incidents which have all pointed to some sinister influence which is at work around us. There is the death of the last occupant of the Hall. fulfilling so exactly the conditions of the family legend, and there are the repeated reports from peasants of the appearance of a strange creature upon the moor. Twice I have with my own ears heard the sound which resembled the distant baying of a hound. It is ·186. 第十章. 华生医生的日记摘抄 迄今为止,我叙述的这些情况,选自自已到庄园后 ① forward 'fo:wadl 转交 (信件等) 的最初日子里写给夏洛克·福尔摩斯的报告中的内容 然而,现如今,情况叙述至此,我就不得不放弃那种方 法,再次依赖自己的记忆,借助当时保存下来的日记 通过摘录一些日记片断,我便可以回忆起当时的一些情 景,因为那些东西深深地铭刻在了我的记忆当中。我就 ② indelible lin'delabll a. 去 从那天早上开始吧,也就是我们去追捕逃犯却毫无所 不掉的 ③ abortive la'ba:tivl a. 失败 获,同时还有在荒原上其他种种奇遇之后的那个早晨。 的 10月16日,阴天多雾,伴有蒙蒙细雨。宅郎云遮雾 罩,云雾涌动,时而升腾,显露出阴郁起伏的荒原。山 丘斜坡面上银色的裂纹,还有远处那些潮湿的表面闪闪 ④bank [baenk]v(雪)堆 积起来 发亮的巨石。室内室外弥漫着忧郁的氛围。昨夜的惊恐 vein veinl n. 纹理 之后,从男爵情绪不佳。我内心也感到极为沉重,觉得 有一种危险即将降临--这种危险自始至终都存在着, 但我对此却无法形容,便觉得更加不寒而栗了 难道说我的这种感觉没有来由吗?想一想一连串 接而至的怪事情,全都指向一点:我们身边有一种极 为凶狠的罪恶势力在作祟。庄园的上一任主人猝亡,完 全应验了这个家族的种种传说,农夫们反复声称有怪兽 出现在荒原。我本人就曾两次亲耳听见那种极像从远处 传来的猎犬的狂吠声。说这真正是超乎自然的现象,令 人难以置信,根本不可能。一只妖魔猎犬竞会留下实实 在在的爪印,空中会回荡着吼叫声,那是无法想象的 事情。斯塔普尔顿或许会相信这套迷信,莫蒂默也是如 ·187· Chapter1o Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson incredible, impossible, that it should really be outside the ordinary laws of nature A spectral hound which leaves material footmarks and fills the air with its howling is surely not to be thought of. Stapleton may fall in with such a superstition and Mortimer also: but if I have one quality upon earth it is common sense, and nothing will persuade me to believe in such a thing. To do so would be to descend to the level of these poor peasants, who are not content with a mere fiend dog but must needs describe him with hell-fire shooting from his mouth and eves. Holmes would not listen to such fancies, and I am his agent. But facts are facts, and I have twice heard this crying upon the moor. Suppose that there were really some huge hound loose upon it: that would go far to explain everything. But where could such a hound lie concealed. where did it get its food. where did it come from, how was it that no one saw it by day? It must be confessed that the natural explanation offers almost as many difficulties as the other. And alwavs, apart from the hound there is the fact of the human agency in London, the man in the cab, and the letter which warned Sir Henry against the moor. This at least was real, but it might have been the work of a protecting friend as easily as of an enemy. Where is that friend or enemy now? Has he remained in London, or has he followed us down here? Could he-could he be the stranger whom I saw upon the tor? It is true that I have had only the one glance at him, and yet there are some things to which I am ready to swear. He is no one whom I have seen down here. and I have now met all the neighbours. The figure was far taller than that of Stapleton, far thinner than that of Frankland. Barrymore it might possibly have been. but we had left him behind us, and I am certain that he could not have followed us. A stranger then is still dogging us, just as a stranger dogged us in London. We have never shaken him off. If I could lay my hands upon that man then at last we might find ourselyes at the end of all our difficulties, To this one purpose I must now devote all my energies My first impulse^{①} was to tell Sir Henry all my plans. My second and wisest one is to play my own game and speak as little as possible to anyone. He is silent and distrait^{②. His nerves have been strangely shaken by that sound upon the moor. I will say nothing to add to his anxieties, but I will take my own steps to attain my own end .188. 第十章 华生医生的日记摘抄 此。但是,如果要说我活在世上有什么优点的话,那就 是常识,因此,任凭是谁都无法劝说我相信那样的鬼 话。如果真的相信,那就等于把自己降低到了那些可怜 的农夫的水平。他们并不满足于把那条猎犬描述成单纯 的妖魔鬼怪犬,还要添油加醋地把它描绘成嘴巴和眼睛 都能够喷出地狱之火。对这些异想天开的事情,福尔度 斯是绝对不会听信的,而我就是他的代理人。不过,事 实终归是事实,我在荒原上已经两次听到那个声音了。 如果确实有一条大猎犬跑到了荒原上,那一切就都能解 释清楚了。但是,这样的猎犬能藏身何处呢?从何处弄 到食物?又是从何处跑来的?怎么就没有人光天化日之 下看到呢?必须承认,这个合乎自然的解释和那个超乎 自然的解释一样,都难以说得通。除了猎犬,还有伦敦 马车里的那个男人,还有那封提醒亨利爵士不要去荒原 的信件,这都表明有人插手其中。最起码那封信是真实 的,不过,这其中存在着两种可能性:有可能是朋友保 护他的行为,也完全可能是坏人的仗俩。朋友也好,恶 人也罢,他们现在都在哪儿呢?是留在伦敦,还是跟踪 我们到了这里?会不会-会不会他就是我在突岩上看 见的那个陌生人? 确实,我同他只是打了照面,但是,有些情况还是 绝对有把握的。那个人绝对不是本地人,我见过了这儿 的所有邻居,但从未看见过他。此人身材比斯塔普尔顿 要高出很多,比弗兰克兰要瘦削很多,看上去倒有点像 巴里摩尔的。不过,我们之前把巴里摩尔留在了家里 我敢肯定,他一定没有跟踪我们。这么看来,那就一直 有个陌生人在跟踪着我们,就像我们在伦敦时遇到的情 形一样。我们无法把他甩掉。如果我能亲手抓住那个 人,那我们的问题最终就迎刃而解了。而要达到这一目 的,我现在必须把全部的精力都投入上去。 我最初的想法是把自己的计划一五一十告诉亨利爵 ① impulse Iimpals]n. 冲动 士。但后来想一想,最明智的做法是自己干,对其他人 缄口不言。他没吭一声,一脸茫然。荒原上的叫声令他 ② distrait [di:s'trei]a. 心不 在焉的 的神经受到了莫名其妙的震撼。我不会说任何让他更紧 张的话,但同时,我会按照自己的安排一步步地达到自 己既定的目标。 ·189· Chapter1o Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson We had a small scene{} this morning after breakfast. Barrymore asked leave to speak with Sir Henry, and they were closeted{②} in his study some little time Sitting in the billiard-room I more than once heard the sound of voices raised and I had a pretty good idea what the point was which was under discussion After a time the baronet opened his door and called for me. “Barrymore considers that he has a grievance{." he said. "He thinks that it was unfair on our part to hunt his brother-in-law down when he, of his own free will. had told us the secret." The butler was standing very pale but very collected{}before us "I may have spoken too warmly, sir."said he, "and if I have. I am sure tha I beg your pardon. At the same time, I was very much surprised when I heard you two gentlemen come back this morning and learned that you had been chasing Selden. The poor fellow has enough to fight against without my putting more upon his track." "If you had told us of your own free will it would have been a different thing," said the baronet, "you only told us, or rather your wife only told us. when it was forced from you and you could not help yourself." "I didn't think you would have taken advantage of it, Sir Henry-indeed I didn't." "The man is a public danger. There are lonely houses scattered over the moor, and he is a fellow who would stick at nothing. You only want to get a glimpse of his face to see that. Look at Mr. Stapleton's house, for example, with no one but himself to defend it. There's no safety for anyone untill he is under lock and key." "He'll break into no house, sir. I give you my solemn word upon that. But he will never trouble anyone in this country again. I assure you, Sir Henry, that in a very few davs the necessary arrangements will have been made and he wil be on his way to South America. For God's sake, sir. I beg of you not to let the police know that he is still on the moor. They have given up the chase there, and he can lie quiet until the ship is ready for him. You can't tell on{}him without getting my wife and me into trouble. I beg you, sir, to say nothing to the police." “What do you say, Watson?" I shrugged my shoulders. "If he were safely out of the country it would .190. 第十章 华生医生的日记摘抄 ① scene Isi:nln. 事件 早餐过后,出现了一个小插曲。巴里摩尔离开时提 ②closet [klazitl v 关在私 室里与人密谈 出要跟亨利爵士谈一谈,他们便去了书房,关起门来谈 了好一阵子。我坐在弹子房里,好几次听到他们的嗓门 高了起来。我很清楚,他们在谈的是什么问题。过了一 会儿,从男爵打开门叫我进去。 “巴里摩尔对我们表示不满,”从男爵说,“他认为, ③ grievance Iqri:vansl n. 不 满的理由 是他自觉自愿把那个秘密告诉给我们的,而我们却去追 捕他的内弟,这样做显得不厚道。” 管家站在我们跟前,脸色苍白,但神情显得很镇定。 ④ collected fkslektidl a. 错 定的,泰然自若的 “我的话或许说得过头了些,先生,”他说,“如果 真是这样,那请您一定多包涵。但是,今天早上我听见 你们二位回家,得知你们昨晚一直在追捕塞尔登,我感 到非常意外。那个可怜的家伙,即便我不给他添什么麻 烦,他要受的罪也已经够多的了。” “如果真是如你所说,你是自愿交代的,事情或许 就不会是这样了,”从男爵说,“但事实上,你,准确地 说你太太,是在我们强迫的情况下不得已才说的。” “但亨利爵士啊,我没想到您竟会趁此机会去缉拿 他--说真格的,我一点儿也没有想到啊。” “那家伙对于公众是个祸害。荒原上零零散散地住 着一些孤立无援的人家,而他却是个亡命之徒。只要一 看他那张脸,你就能明白这点。比如斯塔普尔顿家,看 家护院的就只有他一个人而已。因此,不把他绿拿归 案,没有什么安全可言。” “他不会私闯民宅的,爵士,这一点我可以郑重地 向您保证。反正他不会再次骚扰这儿的任何人了。我向 您保证,亨利爵士。几天之后就会安排好一切的,让他 出发到南美洲去。看在上帝的份儿上,爵士,我求求 您,请不要让狱警知道他还藏匿在荒原上。他们本来都 已经放弃了,不去那儿追捕他了,如此一来,他便可以 不声不响地藏匿起来,一直等待到上船。如果您现在告 发他,就必定会让我和我妻子陷入麻烦。我求求您,爵 tellon告发 士,千万不要把这事告诉狱警啊。” “您怎么看,华生?” 我耸了耸肩膀。“如果他安全地离开这个国家,那 倒能给纳税人减去一笔负担。” ·19· Chapter1o Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson relieve the tax-payer of a burden." "But how about the chance of his holding someone up{} before he goes?" "He would not do anything so mad. sir. We have provided him with all that he can want. To commit a crime would be to show where he was hiding." "That is true." said Sir Henry."Well, Barrymore --" "God bless you, sir, and thank you from my heart! It would have killed my poor wife had he been taken again." "I guess we are aiding and abetting^{②} a felony③}, Watson? But, after what we have heard. I don't feel as if I could give the man up, so there is an end of it All right. Barrymore. you can go." With a few broken words of gratitude the man turned. but he hesitated and then came back. "You'ye been so kind to us, sir, that I should like to do the best I can for you in return. I know something, Sir Henry, and perhaps I should have said it before, but it was long after the inquest that I found it out. I've never breathed a word about it yet to mortal man. It's about poor Sir Charles's death." The baronet and I were both upon our feet. "Do you know how he died?" “No, sir. I don't know that." “What then?" "I know why he was at the gate at that hour. It was to meet a woman." "To meet a woman!He?" “Yes,sir." "And the woman's name?" "I can't give you the name, sir, but I can give you the initials. Her initials wereL.L." “How do you know this. Barrvmore?" "Well. Sir Henry, your uncle had a letter that morning. He had usually a great many letters, for he was a public man and well known for his kind heart. so that everyone who was in trouble was glad to turn to him. But that morning as it chanced. there was only this one letter, so I took the more notice of it. It was from Coombe Tracey, and it was addressed in a woman's hand." “Well?" .192. 第十章 华生医生的日记摘抄 “但是,万一他在临走之前遇上谁挟持一下怎么办呢?” ① hold sbup拦劫,抢劫 “他不可能会有如此疯狂的行为的,先生,我们给 他备齐了他所需要的全部物品。他若是犯案,那会泄露 他藏匿的地点的。” “这倒是事实,”亨利爵士说,“那行啊,巴里摩 尔- “愿上帝保佑您,爵士,我由衷地感激您!如果他 再度被逮住了,那会要了我那可怜的太太的命的。” “我怎么觉得我们这是在纵容一桩重罪呢,华生?但 ②abet la'betlv 勇(犯 罪) 是,听了他刚才的话,我又觉得自己不能再去检举那个人 ③ felony I'felonil n. 重罪 了,这件事就到此结束吧!行啊,巴里摩尔,你可以走了。” 对方断断续续地说着感激的话,一边转过身,但迟 疑了片刻后,又转回身来。 “您对我们真是太好了,先生,我愿尽我最大的努 力来报答您。亨利爵士,我知道一件事,也许本来早该 说出来的,但事情也是我在验尸过了很久后才发现的。 我还没跟任何人透露过一点口风。事情与查尔斯爵士的 猝死有关。” 我和从男爵同时站起身。“你知道他是怎么死的?” “不,先生,这个我可不知道。” “那你知道什么呢?” “我知道他为何在那个时刻站在栅门边,那是要去 同一个女人会面。” “去和女人会面!他吗?” “没错,先生。” “那个女人叫什么名字?” “我无法告诉您她的姓名,先生,不过,我可以把 她姓名的首字母告诉您,是L.L。” “你是怎么知道这个情况的,巴里摩尔?” “是啊,亨利爵士,您伯父当天早晨收到了一封信。 他平时信件很多,因为他是个知名人士,而且以心地善 良著称,所以,但凡有难处的人都会乐意向他求助。但 是,事有凑巧,他那天早晨就只收到了一封信,因此 我就比平时多看了一眼。信是从库姆特雷西寄过来的, 信封上的字迹出自一位女士之手。” “呃?” ·193· Chapter1o Extract from the Diary of Dr. Watson "Well. sir. I thought no more of the matter, and never would have done had it not been for my wife. Only a few weeks ago she was cleaning out Sir Charles's study-it had never been touched since his death-and she found the ashes of a burned letter in the back of the grate{}. The greater part of it was charred②} to pieces, but one little slip, the end of a page, hung together, and the writing could still be read, though it was gray on a black ground. It seemed to us to be a postscript at the end of the letter, and it said: 'Please, please, as you are a gentleman, burn this letter, and be at the gate by ten o'clock.'Beneath it were signed the initials L. L." "Have you got that slip?" "No. sir. it crumbled all to bits after we moved it." "Had Sir Charles received any other letters in the same writing?" “Well. sir. I took no particular notice of his letters. I should not have noticed this one, only it happened to come alone." “And you have no idea who L. L. is?" “No, sir. No more than you have. But I expect if we could lay our hands upon that lady we should know more about Sir Charles's death." "I cannot understand. Barrymore. how you came to conceal this important information." “Well. sir, it was immediately after that our own trouble came to us. And then again. sir. we were both of us very fond of Sir Charles, as we well might be considering all that he has done for us. To rake this up{}couldn't help our poor master, and it's well to go carefully when there's a lady in the case. Even the best ofus--" "You thought it might iniure his reputation?" “Well, sir, I thought no good could come of it. But now you have been kind to us, and I feel as if it would be treating you unfairly not to tell you all that I know about the matter." "Very good, Barrymore: you can go." When the butler had left us Sir Henry turned to me. "Well. Watson, what do you think of this new light?" "It seems to leave the darkness rather blacker than before." “So I think. But if we can only trace L. L. it should clear up the whole business. We have gained that much. We know that there is someone who has ·194· 第十章 华生医生的日记摘抄 “是啊,先生,我当时没有多想此事。如果不是我太 太的关系,我也不可能再想起它来。就在几个礼拜之前, 她去收拾查尔斯爵士的书房--那个房间自他去世后, ① grate lqreitl n. 壁炉 还一直没人动过,看到壁炉格子后面有烧过的信纸灰烬。 信纸的大部分已经烧成了灰烬,但下端的一小块地方还 ② char Itfo:lv 烧掉 保留完整,不过也已烧焦了,但上面的字迹还能够辨认 得出来。我们觉得那是信件结尾处的附笔,内容是,您 是位正人君子,请您,请您一定要把信烧掉,并在十点 时到概门旁等候。'下面就是落款姓氏的首字母LL。” “那张纸条还在你手上吗?” “不在,先生,我们的手碰一下,它就变成碎屑了。” “查尔斯爵士还收到过同样笔迹的来信吗?” “呃,先生,我没有特别注意他的信件。那封信是 因为它刚好是单独寄过来的,我这才留意了一下。” “你知道那个署名LL.的人是谁吗? “不知道,爵士。我知道的并不比您多。不过,我 觉得,如果我们能找到那位女士的话,那就可以多了解 一些查尔斯爵士去世时的情况。” “我不理解,巴里摩尔,你怎么会把这么重要的信 息隐瞒下来啊。” “是啊,先生,我刚知道这个情况,自己就遇上麻烦 了。还有就是因为,我们夫妻二人都非常喜欢查尔斯爵 士,一直念着爵士对我们的好。即便提起那件事情,对于 ③ rake up重提 我们故去的主人也是无济于事的,况且这其中还牵扯到一 位女士,最好是谨慎行事。即便我们中间最好的人-” “你觉得,这样可能会有损于他的声誉吗? “是啊,先生,我想这事说出来也没有任何益处。 但是,现在,您对我们这么好,我觉得如果不把自己知 道的所有情况都告诉您,那就有愧于您了。” “很好,巴里摩尔,你可以走了。”管家离开后,亨 利爵士转身对着我。“对了,华生,您对这个新出现的 情况怎么看?” “事情本来就扑朔迷离,现在看起来更甚了。” “我也是这么看来着,但是,只要我们能够查找到 L.L.那位女士,那整件事情就水落石出了。我们就了解 了这么多。如果能够找到她,我们就能够知道,是谁掌 ·195·